Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. This article discusses the benefits of L-Carnitine and lipoic acid in relation to blood sugar level.
The mitochondria, defined as “structures within cells that convert the energy from food into a form that cells can use” (1), is a crucial component to the health of every cell. Previous research has shown that Coenzyme Q10 helps maintain mitochondrial health as it relates to type 2 diabetes (T2D) (2). Now a new study (3) has found two other supplements, Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC) and lipoic acid (LA), that may also help with mitochondrial health and T2D, which currently costs our healthcare system over $132 billion each year (4).
In the study, researchers exposed fat cells from pigs (called 3T3-L1 adipocytes) to 0.1, 1.0, and 10 micromoles per liter of LA combined with ALC or LA and ALC separately for 24 hours. During this time, they measured mitochondrial mass and oxygen consumption. The researchers found that only when LA and ALC were used together did they produce mitochondrial benefits in the adipocytes.
Specifically, LA combined with ALC at both 10 and 100 micromoles per liter increased the number of functional units within the mitochondria by as much as 300%, signifying an increase in total functional capacity of the mitochondria. Regarding oxygen consumption (which is an indicator of total energy production), LA and ALC combined at 10 micromoles per liter increased oxygen consumption by nearly 30% in the mitochondria.
The researchers cited previous research suggesting that mitochondrial function plays a “central role of adipose tissue in the control of…metabolism and the actions of [insulin]” (5). They concluded that ALC and LA “complement each other’s function in mitochondrial [function]” and that these two supplements may play a role in insulin resistance but that “LA and ALC should be tested in animal models of insulin resistance.”
Source: Shen, W., K. Liu, C. Tian, L. Yang, X. Li, J. Ren, L. Packer, C. W. Cotman, and J. Liu. “R-α-Lipoic acid and acetyl-l-carnitine complementarily promote mitochondrial biogenesis in murine 3T3-L1 adipocytes.” Diabetologia 51, no. 1 (2008): 165-174.
© Springer-Verlag 2007
Posted July 2, 2008.
Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Hauppage, NY mailto:PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.pitchingdoc.com
References:
- “Mitochondrial DNA” posted on Genetics Home Reference.
- Petersen, K. F., D. Befroy, et al. (2003). “Mitochondrial dysfunction in the elderly: possible role in insulin resistance.” Science 300(5622): 1140-2
- Hogan, P., T. Dall, et al. (2003). “Economic costs of diabetes in the US in 2002.” Diabetes Care 26(3): 917-32
- Shen W. R-α-Lipoic acid and acetyl-L-carnitine complementarily promote mitochondrial biogenesis in murine 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Diabetologia 2008; 51(1):165-174
- Wilson-Fritch L, Burkart A, Bell G et al (2003) Mitochondrial biogenesis and remodeling during adipogenesis and in response to the insulin sensitizer rosiglitazone. Mol Cell Biol 23:1085–1094
